Feb. 8, 2014
Box Score
Six different Grizzlies had a multi-hit game, led by Phillip Bates’ 3-for-4 performance, as the Georgia Gwinnett baseball team slugged its way past 17th-ranked Southern Poly, 13-2, on Saturday afternoon in Marietta, evening the teams’ series at one game apiece.
Grizzlies starter Alex Roberts (1-0) allowed just two hits and struck out eight batters over 6.2 innings, giving up two runs- one earned.
Bates scored a game-high three runs and drove in two while Jake Fields, Robbie Payne, Sloan Strickland, Christian Van Camp and Jereid Woods all added two hits apiece for GGC.
The teams now both stand at 4-1.
“Alex’s start on the mound was the story today,” said Grizzlies head coach Brad Stromdahl. “Coming off of a loss, he gave us an outstanding performance and put us in great position to win today. Our offense came alive and took advantage.”
A two-out, first-inning rally gave the Grizzlies an early lead. After Bates knocked a leadoff single and advanced to third with two away, Fields drove him in with a liner to right for the game’s first score. Van Camp then belted an RBI-double and William Paschal put a single through the right side in his first at bat as a Grizzly to score Van Camp and put GGC on top, 3-0.
The Hornets got one back in the bottom of the inning but the Grizzlies added to their lead in the second.
After a two-out error and a passed ball put runners on second and third for GGC, Payne shot a double into right-center that scored Bates and Zach Alvord to make it 5-1.
With the score 5-2 to begin the sixth, the Grizzlies batted around to pad their lead with five runs on five hits and a sacrifice fly.
Bates added an RBI single in the seventh and Van Camp followed with another in the eighth to make it 12-2. The Grizzlies’ final run came home on a fielder’s choice.
Drew Riley and Jovanni Cruz finished off the Hornets on the mound as GGC yielded just three total hits in the game.
Southern Poly starter Zach Smith (1-1) suffered the loss.
The teams will decide the three-game series with a Sunday contest back in Lawrenceville at 2 p.m.
